It takes a whale of a grave to bury ocean giant

Filipino workers remove the ropes and straps tied around the carcass of the a sperm whale on the flatbed of a 16 wheeler trailer truck during its burial. The whale was buried at the fish cemetery of the Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology in Zamboanga City, southern Philippines, Sept. 19. The dead giant sea mammal was spotted, already dead, floating near an island off the coast of Zamboanga City.

Workers retrieved and buried a 52-foot-long sperm whale near Sacol Island off the coast of Zamboanga City, Philippines, on Sept. 19, according to Agence France Presse. Environmental officials believe the whale was sick and had died several days ago, according to press reports.

Laurenz Castillo / EPA

Philippine Coast Guard personnel look at the floating carcass of a 52 foot-long sperm whale in the wharf of Zamboanga City, southern Philippines, on Sept. 19.

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Workers remove ropes from the carcass of a 52-foot-long sperm whale after it was towed from the sea to the pier of Zamboanga City, on the southern island of Mindanao on Sept. 19. The dead giant mammal was spotted by the coast guard on Sept. 19, floating near Sacol island off the coast of Zamboanga City. Environmental officials believe the whale had been sick and died several days ago, as quoted by press reports.